Meet Mike Cortese, candidate for Nashville Metro Council District 4

Editor's note: The Tennessean Editorial Board invited candidates for the 2023 Metro Nashville-Davidson County Metro Council District elections to fill out our questionnaire. They include biographical information and answers to 12 questions on variety of topics from key policy issues to their recommendation for visitors on what to see or do in the city.

Key dates:

• Aug. 15: Voter registration deadline

• Aug. 25-Sept. 9: Early voting

• Sept. 7: Deadline to request absentee ballot

• Sept. 14: Runoff election

Election Guide: Learn about candidates running in Sept. 14 Nashville mayoral runoff election

Election Guide: Learn about candidates running in the Sept. 14 Metro Council At-Large election

Biographical information

• Name: Mike Cortese

• Which office are you seeking? District 4 Council Member

• Age: 41

• What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Mountainview

• Education: Master's Degree

• Job history: Adjunct professor at Belmont University + opportunity development manager at Dell Technologies

• Family: Married with 1 son

Learn about Mike Cortese's opponent: Meet Davette Blalock

Twelve questions for the candidates

Why are you running for this office?

1. Our neighborhoods have been neglected by the city government for far too long.

2. I know we can make tomorrow better than today. My community stepped up for me when I was a kid and now it's time for me to do my part.

My wife and I know the power of community and personal responsibility firsthand. We grew up around abuse, addiction and crime. We were fortunate to live in communities that helped us work through those circumstances and come out stronger on the other side. I will fight fiercely to make sure every family in Nashville, regardless of their current circumstance, has the opportunity to make tomorrow better than today. That is my promise.

What makes you qualified to hold this office and better qualified than your opponent?

Nashville feels out of control and our neighborhoods have been neglected by the local government for over a decade. My opponent was a member of the Metro Council from 2011 to 2019. It was that governance that left our neighborhoods behind. We cannot rely on the same thinking and the same people who got us into this mess to get us out.

I have had the privilege of being able to create significant value in multiple industries over the course of my career. Experiences working in entertainment, higher-education, tech, and with a start-up have shown me how important it is for all parts of an economy to be healthy in order for all of its participants to thrive. The grit of my youth taught me how to find solutions in every situation, no matter how dire things may seem. Those are the experiences and skills I will rely on when fighting for new solutions for our community.

If you are elected, what are your top 2 to 3 priorities for your term in office?

1. Keeping Nashville Affordable

2. Reinvesting revenue from downtown back into our communities: Road upgrades, sidewalks, greenspaces, community services, public safety.

3. Making sure there is a strong dialogue and line of communication between the city government and District 4 Residents.

What are you hearing most from voters about what they want you to accomplish, if elected?

1. Residents feel the city government does not care about our neighborhoods. They feel our elected officials only care about downtown and tourists.

2. Residents in District 4 feel there is not any communication between our current council rep and the community.

A 2023 Vanderbilt poll showed that most Nashvillians do not agree with the direction of the city. Do you agree? Why or why not?

I do agree with them. We need to focus on the residents of Nashville and their quality of life. So many residents I talk to say "Nashville feels out of control," that our neighborhoods have been neglected by the local government for over a decade. That being said, we have the tools to make Nashville the best city in the South to raise a family, start a business, and retire. We just need a council and a mayor with the skills and the will to lead the way. Do not let this period of neglect that our neighborhoods have felt make you believe Nashville isn't special. It is, and we can absolutely overcome the issues we are facing today.

What is your assessment of the performance of the Mayor and Metro Council over the last four years?

1. Our neighborhoods have been neglected for far too long.

2. I do not feel the current administration and our current council representative in District 4 have made an effort to properly inform the public on major issues facing our city and major initiatives moving forward in our city. When I am out talking to voters they continuously use the term "crickets" when referring to the communication between the council and our district.

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Affordable/attainable housing has been named by citizens again and again (NashvilleNext, polling, etc.) as a top concern. What should the city do to address this crisis?

In the 70s a blue collar worker could feed a family, buy a house, go on vacation each year, and send his/her kids to college working 40 hours a week. That is not the reality anymore and it is a result of policy choices made over the past four decades.

We have to find a solution. Nashville's future depends on it. I will work to bring all stakeholders together to find a path forward that gives young Nashvillians the same opportunities to build wealth that previous generations had. There are many creative programs and policy solutions available to us, but to find the best solutions for Nashville specifically, we will need representatives for all stakeholders at the table talking.

The Tennessee General Assembly has gutted Metro Nashville's governance model and finances. What is your position on this and how should the city address the relationship with lawmakers?

The legislature holds more power than the city government so we have to be strategic and very consistent in our efforts.

Here are our 3 main assets:

1. Build a case: We have to make a more convincing case to voters across Tennessee. We need to show them how the legislature's overreach is an attack on their rights and civil liberties. It cannot only be a Nashville issue. Voters in every county of Tennessee have to understand that any Government overreach is an assault on their freedoms as well. They have to feel it and be able to relate it to their personal situation. Once Tennesseans feel that attack viscerally the legislature will have no choice but to pull back or be voted out of office.

2. Beat them in court: We have to challenge them in the courts whenever possible. Every loss we add to the legislature's scorecard will fuel the case we are making on the communication front.

3. Consistently show up: We have to engage every time the legislature steps over the line. The more voices we have the easier it will be to show other Tennesseans the dangers in letting the legislature run over resident's rights and civil liberties.

Are you supportive of Mayor Cooper's plans to renovate the East Bank now that the Titans deal has been approved? Elaborate on your position.

This is an instance where I think the current administration and many members of the council failed to properly inform residents. I hate misinformation and there was a lot of misinformation circulating through the city on this topic. That is simply not fair to voters.

Regarding the initiative itself, I do think it will benefit the city. Here are a few reasons why I think this deal will help us in our effort to reinvest in our neighborhoods and build a better quality of life for our residents:

• It will free up money from the city's general fund that would have been used on the current stadium. Under the current contract the city is financially responsible for maintenance and upgrades to the current stadium.

• Under the new deal the Titans will be financially responsible for maintenance/upgrades.

• A portion of revenues created from the stadium will directly benefit local non-profits.

• The funds that the city committed to the project will come from revenue bonds. This means the money to pay those bonds will come from revenue directly created by the new stadium. The city will not have to pull money from the general fund to pay those bonds. In short, that means your property taxes will not be paying for this stadium.

PLEASE NOTE: Even though this deal will create additional revenue streams and free up funds for the city, we need a council and mayor who are willing to direct those funds to the proper needs. To those of you who were against the deal, I fully agree with you that many needs in our city have been neglected over the past decade. I promise you I will fight to make sure every penny generated from this deal is spent on our neighborhoods, our schools, our infrastructure, our affordable housing initiatives, our public safety, and our community services.

Last but not least, I want to commend all the residents who showed up to speak at the final vote. I was extremely excited and inspired to see so many people engaging in the civic process. Please keep engaging so our city leaders know what your priorities are for our city.

What else do you want voters to know about you that will help them make an informed decision on Election Day?

We have the tools to make Nashville the best city in the South to raise a family, start a business, and retire. We just need a council and a mayor with the skills and the will to lead the way. Do not let this period of neglect that our neighborhoods have felt make you believe Nashville isn't special. It is, and we can absolutely overcome the issues we are facing today

A "fun" question: When visitors ask you, "What should I do in Nashville?" what are the top 2 or 3 things or places you recommend?

It depends on the time of year. In the summer I always tell people to check out Broadway and then catch a show at the Ryman. During the holiday months I always tell guests to visit the Opryland Hotel.

This might sound boring to a lot of people but my wife and I like to go driving on back country roads. It's a great way to connect with each other and just enjoy the Tennessee scenery.

Will you commit to being civil in how you present yourself and the way you interact with opponents and others? (Our definition of civility is being a good, active, honest and respectable citizen)

Yes

Call Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville election: Mike Cortese, Metro Council District 4